Carlson Grabs First Career Touchdown

Former Notre Dame TE John Carlson hauled in his first career professional touchdown yesterday in the Seahawks 27-10 loss to the Green Bay Packers.  Carlson has been a starter for the Seahawks all season and has been one of the only reliable receiving threats for a Seahawks teams whose receiving corps has been decimated by injuries this year.

Here’s how the Seattle Times described Carlson’s first career TD.

Carlson, touchdown: No sooner did this blog publish a joke about rookie tight end John Carlson evaporating from the playbook, and he hauls in the first touchdown catch of his career.

It was a heck of a playcall, a play-action fake by Charlie Frye, who then rolled out as if it were a bootleg. Packers linebacker Brady Poppinga was right there, closing in on Frye and he lobbed a pass to a wide open John Carlson who dove into the end zone despite a pretty stiff hit from cornerback Charles Woodson. Safety Aaron Rouse was also at the goal line.

On the season, Carlson has 16 catches for 190 yards and 1 TD in 5 games.  Fairly modest numbers on the surface, but when you consider Seattle’s injury problems at wide receiver and quarterback (Matt Hasslebeck missed Sunday’s game) making things tougher on Carlson they aren’t too shabby at all.  At his current rate, Carlson is on pace for 51 catches, 608 yards, and 3 TDs.

Fasano Excelling Too. Carlson isn’t the only former Notre Dame TE having a good year either.  Anthony Fasano is on pace for a very good season in his first year with the Dolphins.  Fasano is on pace for 48 catches, 669 yards, and 6 TDs.  As is, Fasano has already set career highs in catches, yards, and touchdowns now that is out from behind Jason Witten’s shadow.

It’s nice to see Carlson and Fasano both experiencing success with the Seahawks and Dolphins and their success should only help the Irish in terms tight end recruiting.

UPDATE:  Jeff found some video of the play on YouTube.

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